Good Morning everyone!
Thank you to everyone who came out to our Terry Fox run and to those who donated to the Terry Fox Foundation. The children watched some Terry Fox videos this week, learned about who Terry Fox was, and what an inspirational human being he was. I took special care to ensure that the children were aware that Terry Fox had cancer but also that they were not frightened by it! We focused on how Terry Fox was a hero who made a goal, dreamed big and exceeded what he planned to do. 

This week we also spent time out on the edges of our forest. We looked at the Coniferous Tree and at their needles. We felt their needles, looked at the cones and felt the bark of the Fir tree versus the bark of a maple tree. The children very much enjoy going outside and being with nature and are still learning some behavioural expectations when we go outside. One of our main expectations is boundaries for safety where one can go and not go, not using sticks as swords, and to be respectful of throwing things at children (grass, leaves, sticks, rocks etc). Please review these expectations with your child. If safety becomes compromised then we may not be able to go outside and continue our outdoor education. Thank you to Darian's and Benjamin's moms who come with us. 

This coming Tuesday will be our field trip to the Camosun Bog. We will be getting Park Facilitators to come in and take us inside the Bog to talk about the Big Friendly Forest. This is very exciting as we will be experiencing hands on activities through out the entire bog. There will be no cost for this program as the PAC has contributed some field trip money to each of the teachers. All that needs to be done is the green form that talks about walking excursions in the neighbourhood needs to be signed. Most of you have done that one already, it's just a few that havent, so please check and return it before Tuesday.
Our field trip leaves the school at 915 and we will be back by 1130. The children must be wearing jackets (and if it is raining rain jackets) and boots. Some of the children have been coming to school without jackets and as the weather turns it is important that they all have something warm to wear. Please review behavioural expectations while on field trips as well. I expect children to be great listeners, active learners and keen inquirers as well as respectful of the forest and the forest friends.

Gathering with the entire school to do a little rally for Climate Change. The children chanted and made posters.

Then we all lied down on 16th street ....like they did in the downtown area.

The first group back from our Terry Fox Run

What a lovely group of children!

Sometimes we can do things YET...but we will as we grow older and try...

Writing about Fall. 

I have a lot of lovely pictures, enjoy.
And have a great Sunday. See you all on Monday.
teri

Good Morning Everyone!
My it's raining hard right now! I hope that the weather clears up so that all the children can go outside and play! I go out even in the rain as I must say I love the freshness of the rain as well as the heat of the sun. Now speaking of rain, the weather for the next few weeks (and likely few months) will be quite rainy. The children will be going outside every recess rain or shine..there is a covered area if they need to huddle. So a reminder, they all need rain jackets, rain boots and hats if it is not attached to their jackets. Then also, they need to have indoor shoes to change into. Many of the children are leaving a pair of indoor shoes in the classroom at the cloakroom..thank you to Tea, India and Darian for cleaning up the cloakroom after every lunch hour, making sure that backpacks are closed and everything is neat. They are very responsible and are teaching all the others how to be neat and tidy. It is appreciated. Perhaps a change of clothes in a little zip bag could also be sent in the events of an accident where their clothes might get wet.

We have had a busy week at school. The children have been learning the routines of the classroom, the rules in the classroom and are all really working hard at being responsible and kind and accepting. Our unit this first term will continue to be to learn how to be kind and accepting and how it all starts with being kind to ourselves. To understand that we make mistakes, that not all things come easy at the beginning, that we need to try, that we are good at somethings and not at others. We have read many stories of this topic..ask them about the story about the "red" crayon..very cute. We did a lovely little banner called "only one you". If you didnt see it when you came in for the Meet the Teacher, pop in and see it.

Thank you to Lisette and Andrea for coming on our Thursday afternoon nature walk. We looked at the Oak tree and took the time to talk about deciduous trees. We are doing small nature walks to get used to being outside and working in our outdoor classroom. On Monday, the teachers will be learning more about how to utilize the Camosun Bog for our teachings and I am so excited! (so just a reminder that Monday is a professional day..do not send your child to school). I know that after this day, I will have more things to share with your children. I love nature and spent many many hours with my own two children out in the forests and in the nature. So love the opportunity of doing this with your children as well. Coming up on October 1st we will be having a field trip called the Friendly Forest which is also starting at the Camosun Bog. Their will be no cost as we will be utilizing the PAC field trip money...so thank you PAC.  I will send more information as the date approaches.

Did your child tell you about the taste test that we had on Friday?
Well the grade ones made three different kinds of sauces...they made Applesauce, Pear sauce and Apple-pear sauce. Thank you to Shino and Kelly and our supervision aides for helping with the making of the sauces. Ask your child what the almost unanimous vote was for? The grade ones worked very hard chopping up all the fruit. We saved the leftover applesauce so that the grade 2 group can make something yummy on Friday. Our cooking will continue every Friday between 1100 and 1200. If you havent sent your cooking money please do..but I think it's almost all in. So Thankyou!

We had our first OTARS on Thursday...it didnt rain and it was soo much fun to run around the track.The children did exactly as they were supposed to do..they put their back packs outside the door and away they ran down to the track. It was a lot of fun! WE will only do this on non-rainy days! except for this FRIDAY...there is Bayview's annual Terry Fox Run. WE will be running around the track on Friday afternoon to raise awareness and money for Cancer Research. On Friday we will start with an assembly in our gym, then we will walk down to the field  at 200 and run for 30 minutes and then come back to the classrooms for dismissal. We welcome families to come down and run as well...everyone is welcome. Bayview School will be accepting a small donation to send to the Terry Fox Foundation. 

Final messages:
1) Send all walking field trip forms back to school (green ones)
2) Fill out all forms that you have been sent home with from the school..i will collect them...im sorry the beginning of the school year is sooo crazy full of forms...i think it should end soon!
3) If your child is not coming to school, either send me an email or call the safe arrival line at the school 604-713-5062 ext. 10 and you must do this before 8am.


And that is that..enjoy the pictures and have a great sunday.
See you all on Tuesday.
teri
ps. i love your children..they are wonderful..lucky lucky me!

 With clipboards and papers and pencils in hand we cut across the field to find these lovely oak trees...where we sat and sketched. We were scientists observing the trees and their leaves.

 The grade one boys were learning how to cut the fruit up...the words are claw and saw. You take the fruit claw it with your fingers and then slowly saw away. Luckily we had no cut fingers and lots of fruit!

The sauces turned out exceptionally delicious!! But there were a few of us that said..."hmm, sauces are not my thing!!" haha but they were brave and at least tried a little spoonful of each!

Good Morning and Welcome to our class blog!
For all of you returning parents and children..you know what I do..and for all those who are new..this is what I do.
I get up early on Sunday and I share our week with you. I try to remember to give hilights and I try to add pictures so you can see what we are doing. I hope to share with you the joy we are having and the things that we are learning so that you can use them as reminders and references when you have conversations with your child...when you ask them what they did today and they said..."I dont know...or I forget"...now you can use this blog as a spring board. Besides they like to look at the pictures that I post as well..so share it with them. And with that..welcome to my verbous blog!

Thank you to everyone...you got back my information sheet on your child. That was fun to read and really does help me paint a picture of your child, besides now I have all the information at my fingertips if I need to get a hold of you. Thank you to everyone who donated things off my wish list...lamps, pillows, lysol wipes and kleenex tissues as well as some school supplies (and chocolate). All sooo appreciated!! Come in during our open house this coming Thursday to see the additions. I think our classroom looks absolutely beautiful and cozy and the children seem to love it too! It isnt our old 105 year old school but it is what we now call our camp..camp Bayview and we all are working hard at sharing the space and adjusting. If your child is confused and is still having issues, let me know and I will discuss and help them.

It appears that the bussing is going okay with our group. It has been a little confusing but at this point anyone on bus one...leaves immediately to the bus. If it is raining and it is bus 2 or 3, then they go to either Mrs. Montaganos room or Mr. Toscaks room...I walk them there and attendance is taken. The JKC go to JKC and the children who are being picked up wait just outside the classroom...there are a lot of children coming and going so the children have to be really focussed at doing what they need to be doing, carrying all their stuff with them. Thus, it is important that all their personal belongings should fit inside their back pack so they arent carrying multiple bags..that is when things get lost. 

Now for some reminders:
1) On Friday I sent home their first Home Reading Bags. It is time to start reading every day! The route to love of reading and becoming a better reader is reading. We read every day at school. Right after lunch, the children get their home reading envelopes and are partnered up with another child and they read to each other. It is important that your child bring their home reading envelope back EVERY day and read every day at home. I hope you can support your child in helping them put it into their back packs.

2) We eat lunch in our classroom. We are supervised by three grade 7 students, sophia, samara and river. The children are to wash their hands, get their lunch and eat it sitting down at their desks. When they finish their lunch, they are to put it back into their backpacks, get their desks cleaned and read or draw. Please make sure you review the rules with your child and to remind them to be respectful to the student leaders and to eat what you pack them so they have energy for the day. Also please remember to send all utensils with your child as we do not really have any to lend out.

3) Our cooking program is starting. Thank you to Keitos, and Indias mom for helping run the program. We will be cooking every Friday between recess and lunch. The children will rotate and have a turn once every three weeks. The children love cooking with our moms! Not only is it fun and tasty they learn sooo many valuable skills. I am excited that I can do this again at the portables! PLease send the money for the supplies in an envelope or a zipbag with your child's name on it so i can keep track of who remembered to send it. Thank you.

4) OTARS (off to a running start) should begin this Tuesday. The primaries will run around the track on Tuesdays and Thursdays, if it is not raining. When your child comes in off the bus, or is being dropped off, have them put their back packs by our class door and just go down to the track and start running. The children run for about 15 minutes and then will come back to the classroom. It is great exercise and a great way to start our mornings off. It is raining..we will cancel.

5)Indoor shoes on rainy and wet days are important. Boots on our carpet will wreck our new carpet as well as create a muddy mess for children to sit on. You can leave a pair of shoes in our class if you want.

6) Lastly...( I think) I am looking for a parent to go for our nature walks. My plan is to do "Outdoor school" on Thursday afternoons from 130 till 230. We are soo lucky to have a wonderful bog and forest so close by. Rain or shine we will take advantage of it. If its raining hard, we wont go as far...if its not so hard, then we will go a little deeper. I have a plan of all the different natural things I want to cover. I love nature and want to share this with the children. It would be a little easier for me if I could have a "tail" for my walks...a front and back just to keep the children all together. So if you think you can join us ..let me know. I would appreciate it very much.

With that, thankyou for reading to the end.
I have some lovely pictures for you to look at!
Have a great Sunday and I will look forward to meeting you on Thursday and to seeing all my smiling children's faces on Monday!!
xoxo 
teri

Our class pet...the children voted on the name...His name is Simee Fire-Lion Taylor. If you would like to take it home for a weekend visit let me know..i have a travelling jar for you.

My daughter Abby, painted this door cover for me. She is a student at Emily Carr and loves to do things like this for me.

Our class...Julien's picture will be there this week!

We learned how to sit on the carpet. When the teacher is talking we need to give her 5....ask your child to show you.

Our first writing project...we read a cute book about a bunny waiting for us to come to school!

Our tree that Abby made for us...in our reading corner with some beautiful cushions, some reading stuffies and some lovely lighting. A wonderful place to read!

Julien's domino train

Darian, Neil and Keito do a self portrait banner.

The girls are playing!

The boys are playing....look at those eyes Felix..be careful they might stay that way!!

More fun to be had.

Lots of critters to sort!

Lis works so hard on her drawings!